"Unabashedly Pro-Union" --Mike Antonucci of the EIA.
I'm a teacher and I'm involved in my union. I highlight teacher union happenings all around the United States, including grievances, contract negotiations, elections and strikes. Contact me at drhomeslice (at) hotmail.com

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Boston: Tick Tock! France: Ooh Lah Lah!

BTU members are meeting on Valentine's Day for what appears to be a strike vote. I didn't see anything about the executive board authorizing a strike vote by the membership and the media doesn't seem to know anything when it comes to collective bargaining. In fact, I think they do know one word, and one word only-- strike. You know, one thing that bugs me to no end is when the local media just calls the local the "teacher's union". There's a reason we are an Association or a Federation. All teachers' unions are not alike.

On an even less serious note, it appears that French teachers are now on strike. Well, uh, that is unless they work in this school. But according to this account, the Bordeaux region seemed to be a ghost town. They also talk a lot about dog poo in this blog entry.

I know I should be fully supporting the French in their strike and stuff, but when you only have a 6.5 hour workweek, 6 weeks of paid vacation and cradle to the grave everything that there really isn't all that much to strike for. (Yes, I know I'm being a bit over the top with these descriptions, but so was Homer Simpson when he called the French "cheese eating surrender monkeys" but that was still funny, too.) Though missteacher does have a bit of a poignant post about why she went out into the streets today. So you've made me feel bad, 'an I take back most of the crappy things I just said. Most, not all. :)